Answers to the Consultation on the Conclusions of the Fifth Report on Economic and Social Cohesion

Consultation on the Conclusions of the Fifth Report on Economic and Social Cohesion

The public consultation on the Conclusions of the 5th Report on Economic, Social and Territorial Cohesion is now closed. Over 400 contributions were received. Contributors expressed their views on ways to enhance the added value of cohesion policy, as well as on ways to strengthen governance and to streamline the delivery system of cohesion policy. Respondents also gave their opinions on the future architecture of cohesion policy for the next programming period.

The consultation aims to collect ideas and contributions on the question of how the Union's cohesion policy should adapt to new challenges and how its delivery can be improved in order to maximise its impact in the future. It is intended therefore to help shape the set of proposals on the future policy to be communicated by the Commission to the Council and Parliament. Furthermore, the results of the public consultation will feed into the Impact Assessment for the post-2013 legislative package.